Compressor and locking means therefor



Nov. 4, 1 93 0. 0. J. LARSON E AL COMPRESSOR AND LOCKING MEANS THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed My 30, 1930 Mayra/es. W M

Nov. 4, 1930. o. J. LARSON ET AL 1,780,354

COMPRESSOR AND LOCKING MEANS THEREFOR Filed May 50, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fj0 f [a j 43 40 4% L I /6 M 45 jj l 3 m a 440 I m ii a;

//Vl/E/V 70/25.

VI ,4 rfQQA/EYJ Patented Nov. 4, 1930 UNITED STATES OSCAR J. LARSON Ann JAMES R. JONES, or

ART METAL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, Tron JAI'IIESTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR-S TO JAMESTOWN, NEW YC R-K, A CORPORA-;

oomrnnsson AND LOCKING Menus THEREFOR Application filed May. 30,

This invention relates to improvements in compressors or followers such'as are used in filing drawers and the like structures for engaging the back of a group of cards, sheets or other elements contained therein to press these elements together and hold them in upright position between the compressor and the front wall, for example, of the drawer. More particularly, the invention relates to improved locking and releasing means for compressors of the side locking type, in which the compressor is held in adjusted position by means engageable, forv instance with spaced stops or parts at the opposite sides of the drawer structure.

Certain objects of the invention are to construct an improved compressor or followor for the purpose stated having novel means for locking the compressor in adjusted positions; also to provide improved compressor locking and releasing means which is of simple and inexpensive construction, easy to operate and which will not readily'get out of order; also to provide locking means for this purpose which will be positive and automatic in its locking action; and also to provide locking means of this kind which comprises a wire or bar having resilient or spring-like characteristics such that it will be flexed or placed under stress when moved from the normal or looking position to engage the drawer stopsfor holding the compressor in locked position against movement in one direction, and which can be readily disengaged from said stops to permit the compressor to be adjusted or moved in an opposite direction to relieve the coinpression upon the contents of the drawer. Other objects are to improve compressors or followers of the kind stated and the locking and releasing means therefor in the other respects hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a filing drawer or structure provided with a compressor or follower, and illustrating one embodiment of our invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly in section, of the upper end of the 1930. Serial No. 457,662.

compressor, and the adjacent side wall portions of the drawer. i

F 3 is a fragmentary, horizontal section thereof, on an enlarged scale, approximately on line 33, Fig. 4. I

Fig. i is a fragmentary, longitudinal, scetional. elevation showing the compressor in locked position. i

F 5 is a similar view, showing thecom pressor in released position.

Fig. 6 is a vertical, transverse section of a drawer provided with a compressor and locking and releasing means therefor of modified construction. 7

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view thereof, partly in section, on line 7-'?, Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, longitudinal. .ection of the drawer, showing the compressor in loclred position, approximately on line 8 8, Fig. 6. 7

Figs. 9 and 10 are fragmentary, longitudinal, sectional elevations, showing the locking means in looking and released posi tions respectively, taken on line 99, Fig. 6, and on an enlarged scale.

The drawer or structure with which our improved compressor is used can be of any usual or suitable construction. A shown in the drawings, is formed of sheet metal having opposite longitudinal, upright side walls 10, front and rear transverse walls 11 and 12, and a upon which the lower edges of the sheets, cards or other contents B rest. The drawer is provided with a compressor or follower C which extends in, upright positiontransversely thereof between its side walls 10 so as to engage the back of the group of sheets or other elements and hold them upright between said compressor (l and said front wall 11.

Each of the side walls 10 of the drawer A preferably provided, adjacent its upper edge with an inwardly facing horizontal guide or lengthwise channel 15 having therein a longitudinal series of spaced stops or parts 16 formed, for example, by punching holes in the lower wall of the channel in such manner that the holes in the opposed channe1s-15 are in alinement.

The drawer."

bottom horizontal wall 13 The compressor C is also preferably formed of sheet metal and comprises an upright, substantially rectangular body portion terminating at its upper edge in a rearwardly and downwardly extending bent flange 21 forming a transverse channel which reinforces and strengthens the compressor.

The body 20 of the follower, in the construction shown in Figs. 1-5, is preferably formed with a horizontal, reaiwvardly projecting, offset channel portion 2-1 which extends from one of its upright edges to the other, and is preferably disposed opposite the inwardly facing channels or guides 15 of the drawer.

In order to guide the compressor C in its adjustments longitudinally of the drawer A, and prevent it from assuming a diagonal posi tion, and from tipping relative to the drawer, the compressor is provided at opposite sides thereof with fixed, forwardly extending guides 28 which extend parallel with each other and slidably engage in the opposed channels 15 of the drawer, in contact with the several walls of said channels. Each guide is provided with an inwardly extending attaching portion 30 preferably disposed within the channel 2 1 of the compressor and rigidly secured thereto by suitable fastening devices 31. By this construction the compressor C can slide freely back and forth in the drawer without binding or shifting out of perpendicular relation to the side walls 10, and since the guides 28 engage the walls of the guide channels, the compressor is prevented from vertical and lateral displacement, and the upright side edges and the lower horizontal edge of the compressor can therefore be disposed in spaced relation to the side walls 10 and bottom wall 13 respectively of the drawer, thus reducing friction and noise in the operation of the compressor.

In accordance with the usual practice, the follower C, when pressed into engagement with the group of sheets B or other elements constituting the contents of the drawer A, is held in this position by locking means which, in this type of compressor, includes parts engageable with the stops at the sides of the drawer to releasably lock or securethe'coim pressor in operativeor adjusted position and to prevent it from unintentional rearward orreleasing movement. Such means, however, can be actuated co-disengage said parts from the stops to release the compressor and permit it to be shifted rearward'ly for enabling the contents to be released-and examined, or to permit additions to the latter.

Our novel locking means for this purpose comprises a locking member 33which is formed of a piece of material having spring" like or resilient characteristics, themember' in the forms illustrated being made of a piece of wire or spring rod. The'locking member 33 extends transversely of the drawer, preferably at the rear of the compressor C upon which it is mounted so as to rock or turn relatively thereto, for which purpose it is journalled in fixed bearings 34: at opposite sides of the compressor. These bearings 34 in the construction illustrated in Figs. 15, are formed in rearwardly extending offset projections on the guides 28. The locking memher is provided at or adjacent each end with a dog or part 35 formed to extend into the corresponding drawer channel 15 for engagement with the stops 16 thereof, and the member is adapted to cooperate with and be placed under stress by a part on the compressor C in a manner to yieldingly urge the dogs 35 into operative engagement with said stops 16. As shown, this is effected by the provision of an inclined abutment or stationary part 36 formed on a rearwardly extending bracket fixed to the compressor.

The lower edge of the abutment 36 is disposed rearwardly of and slightly above the horizontal axis of the bearings 34 so that in the normal positions of the parts, the looking member 33 is flexed or placed under stress, thereby causing the free ends of the dogs 35 to be yieldingly urged toward the lower walls of the drawer channels. Under these conditions thecompressor or follower C is free to move forwardly, the dogs 35 of the locking member 33 riding along or slidably engaging over the stops 16 so that all that is necessary when compressing the contents of the drawer is to shift the compressor forwardly tothe required position, whereupon the compressor will be automatically locked in adjusted position by the engagement of the dogs 35 with a pair of stops 16, since the dogs 35 extend at an angle downwardly and rearwardly, relatively to the bearings 3 1, thereby positively engaging the stops 16 in a manner to prevent rearward movement of the compressor.

The compressor or follower is thus held in locked position in the manner described, by the resilience of the locking member 33 and the stress exerted thereon by its engagement with the abutment 36.

In order to release the follower to permit it to be shifted or adjusted rearwardly, the locking member 33 is provided with or is bent to form an operating member or handle 38 which extends upwardly over the face of the abutment 36, and which, when forward pressure is exerted thereon, causes the locking member to rock in its bearings 34 and the dogs to mox e out of engagement with the stops 16 of the drawer, as shown in Fig. 5. In this movement, the operating handle 38 moves out of contact with the lower edge of the abutment 36 and into contact with the upper edgethereof. Thus, the transverse portion of the member 33 is further flexed or placed under additional stress so that when the operextremities of the dogs to either engage directly into a pair of alined holes 16, or rest upon the bottom wall of the channels 15 in such position that only a slight rearward movement of the follower is necessary to cause the dogs to resume their lockingposition in engagement with a pair of the stops 16.

hen the compressor 0 is moved forwardly, however, it is unnecessary to actuate the locking member 33, since the yielding nature of this member permits the dogs 35 to snap successively into one pair after another of the holes 16; Thus, the compressor is auto matically locked by merely moving it forwardly to the required position. By arranging the parts so that the locking member normally engages the abutmentnear the axis of said member, the stress upon the member relatively slight, so that when sliding'the compressor forwardly, the dogs 35 will ride over the stops 16 without much noise, as

would be the case if the locking member normally engaged the abutment 'at' the upper edge, or farther from its axis.

In the modified construction shown in Figs.

= 6 to 10, the compressor or followerC' is provided with a locking member having resilient characteristics adapting it to act in a manner similar to the locking member 33 of the first construction, but which is mounted and arranged in a slightlydifferent manner.

The compressor or follower C has the upper channeled portion 21 thereof disposed opposite the guide channels 15 of the drawer and replaces the offset channel 24: of the co1npressor C, and the attaching portions of the compressor guides 28 extend into this channel 21 and are therein provided with attached bearing blocks 10 formed of sheet metal and which are fixed to the or the like 41. I I g V The outer end of each bloc-1:40 is closed by an upright wall or flange 43 having a bearing seat or hole 44-. in which a locking member 33 is mounted to rock as before; This locking member is substantially like that just described, except that it is provided centrally thereof with an operating member or handle piece 45 formed of a separate piece welded thereto; The handle is bent to extend rearwardlv and thence upwardly in a direction away from the lower edge 46 of the channel 21, as'shown in Fig. 9. The edge of said flange is disposed below' and in rear of theaxis of the bearings 40 and the mid-portion of the locking member 33 is flexed rearward-1y and downwardly towards said edge by the'engag'ement of said handie against the latter, as shown respectively in Figs; 6, 7 and 9. Thusthemember 33? is placed understress such that the extremities compressor by screws of the locking member dogs 35 are urged downwardly in yielding engagement with or operative relation to the drawer.

Thus, the lower edge l6 of the channel in this construction functions in the same manner as the abutment 36 in the first construction.

To release the follower C, pressure cx-, erted upon the upper end of the handle 4:5 in a forward direction. thus rocking it aboutthe edge 46 and shifting the handle and its attached locking member 33 to the position shown inFig. 10, wherein the rearwardly ex tending dogs 35 of the member 33 are raised out of engagement with the stops 16 of the drawer, so that the compressor can be shifted rearwardly. As long as the handle 45 is held in the position described, the follower can be freely shifted in a rearward direction, and since the locking member 33 is at this time placed under additional stress, the locle ing member, when said handle is released, will spring back into locking position and permit the dogs 35 to again engage with a pair of stops 16 to lock the compressor against further rearward movement.

It will be seen, therefore, that as in. the previous construction described, it is only necessary to draw the compressor C for wardly into operative engagement with the back of a group of sheets or other elements in the drawer, in order to cause the compres sor C to be automatically locked by its locking member to hold the sheets in the desired compact manner.

Claims: 1

1. The combination with a drawer or the like having longitudinally disposed series of spaced stops at opposite sides thereof, of a compressor extending crosswise between said sides and adjustable lengthwise of the drawer, a resilient locking device movably mounted on said compressor and having parts engageable with said drawer stops, and an abutment on said compressor with which said locking device engages and by which it is normally held under stress in a manner to cause said parts of said device to be yieldingly urged in a direction to engage said stops, whereby said parts will automatically cooperate with said stops to prevent move ment of said compressor in one direction lengthwise of said drawer, while permitting free movement thereof in an opposite direc tion.

2. The combination with a drawer or the like having longitudinally disposed series of spaced stops at opposite sides thereof, of a compressor extending crosswise between said sides and adjustable lengthwise of the drawer, a locking bar formed of resilient n1 terial mounted to rock on said compressor and extending crosswise of the drawer, said bar having parts engageable with said drawer stops, and a part on said compressor Cal with which said locking bar engages and by which it is normally flexed and held under stress in a manner to cause said parts thereof to be yieldingly urged in a direction to engage said drawer stops, whereby said parts will automatically cooperate with said stops to prevent movement of said compressor in one direction lengthwise of said drawer, while permitting free movement thereof in an opposite direction.

3. The combination with a drawer or the like having longitudinally disposed series of spaced stops at opposite sides thereof, of a compressor extending crosswise between said sides and adjustable lengthwise of the drawer, a resilient locking device pivoted on said compressor to rock about an. axis which extends transversely of said drawer, said device having parts engageable with said drawer stops, and a part on said compressor with which said locking device engages and by which it is placed under tension for urging said parts thereof towards and yieldingly holding them in operative relation to said stops in such a manner that said compressor is prevented from movement in one direction lengthwise of said drawer, while being movable freely in an opposite direction.

4. The combination with a drawer or the 7 like having longitudinally disposed series of spaced stops at opposite sides thereof, of

a compressor extending crosswise between said sides and adjustable lengthwise of the drawer, a resilient locking device movably mounted on said compressor and having parts engageable with said drawer stops, an abutment on said compressor with which said locking device engages and by which it is normally held under stress in a manner to cause said parts of said device to be yieldingly urged in a direction to engage said stops, whereby said parts will automatically cooperate with said stops to prevent movement of said compressor in one direction lengthwise of said drawer, while permitting free movement thereof in an opposite direction, and an operating member for moving said locking device for disengaging said parts of said device from said stops to release said compressor and permit it to be moved in said first-mentioned direction.

5. The combination with a drawer or the like having longitudinally disposed series of spaced stops at opposite sides thereof, of a compressor extending crosswise between said.

sides and adjustable lengthwise of the drawer, a resilient locking device movably mounted on said compressor and having parts engageable with said drawer stops, a parton said compressor against which said locking member engages and by which it is flexed and placed under stress to cause said parts of said member to y eldingly engage said stops to lock said compressor from movement in one direction in said drawer, and a handle,

for shifting said device relative to said compressor part for disengaging said first-named parts thereof from said stops to release said compressor, and whereby said locking device is placed under further stress causing it to return to locking position when said handle is released.

6. The combination with a drawer or the like having longitudinally arranged series of stops at opposite sides thereof and disposed in transversely alined pairs, of a compressor movable lengthwise in and extending crosswise of the drawer, a resilient locking member movably mounted on said compressor, a part on said compressor with which said member engages and by which it is held under stress, said locking member having parts which extend towards and are yieldingly pressed in a direction to engage said stops by the tension on said locking member, and which operate to permit movement of said compressor in one direction lengthwise of said drawer while preventing movement thereof in an opposite direction, and means for guiding said compressor so as to prevent misalinement thereof relatively to said drawer and thereby maintain said stop engaging parts of said locking member in operative relation to transversely alined pairs of said stops.

7. The combination with a drawer or the like having longitudinally disposed series of spaced stops at opposite sides thereof, of a compressor extending crosswise between said sides and adjustable lengthwise of the drawer, a resilient locking device pivoted on said compressor to rock about an axis which extends transversely of said drawer, said device having parts engageable with said drawer stops, and means engaging said member at one side of its pivotal axis for flexing said member and which means are so disposed that said parts are yieldingly held in engagement with said stops in such relation thereto that said member can rock about its pivotal axis and said parts can slide over said stops in one direction lengthwise of said drawer, whereby said compressor can be adjusted in that direction, and whereby said parts will positively engage said stops to prevent movement of said compressor in an opposite direction.

8. The combination with a drawer or the like having longitudinally disposed series of spaced stops at opposite sides thereof, of acompressor extending crosswise between said sides and adjustable lengthwise of the drawer, a resilient locking device pivoted on said compressor to rock about an axis which extends transversely of said drawer, said device having parts engageable with said drawer stops, an abutment on said compressor with which said member engages at one side of its pixotal axis and by which said member is held under stress so that said parts are yieldingly held in engagement with said stops in such relation thereto that said parts can slide over'said stops in one direction lengthwise of said drawer, whereby said compressor can be adjusted in that direction, and whereby said parts will positively engage said stops to prevent movement 01 said compressor in an opposite direction, and means for rocking said locking member into different relations to said abutment, where by said parts are released from said stops and said locking member is placed under additional stress tending to return said part-s into engagement with said stops.

9. The combination with a drawer or the like having spaced stops along its side portions, of a compressor adjustable lengthwise of said drawer, a resilient locking rod extending transversely of the drawer and mounted adjacent its ends to rock on said compressor, dogs projecting laterally from the end portions of said rod in position to engage said stops, and cooperating engag ing parts on said compressor and said rod between the ends of the rod which produce a stress on said rod, whereby said dogs are yieldingly urged in a direction to engage said stops and hold said compressor in adjusted positions in said drawer.

10. The combination with a drawer or the like having spaced stops along its side portions, of a compressor adjustable lengthwise of said drawer, a resilient locking rod eX- tending transversely of the drawer and mounted in bearings at the sides of said compressor to rock relative thereto, dogs projecting laterally from said rod in position to engage said stops, and an abutment on said compressor with which said rod engages between its bearings and by which it isfplaced under stress, whereby said dogs are yieldingly urged in a direction to engage said stops and hold said compressor in adjusted posi tions in said drawer.

11. The combination with a drawer or the like having spaced stops along its side portions, of a compressor adjustable lengthwise of said drawer, a resilient locking rod extending transversely of the drawer and pivoted adjacent its ends to rock on said compressor and having rigid dogs extending laterally in position to engage said stops, an abutment on said compressor against which said rod engages between its ends and which is disposed at one side of the pivotal axis of said rod in position to flex the same and place it under stress in a manner to yieldingly urge said dogs in a direction to engage said stops to automatically prevent movement of said compressor in one direction in said drawer, and a handle on said rod for rocking said rod about its pivotal axis to disengage said dogs stress and will return to locking position when said handle is released.

I 12. The combination with a drawer or the like having a longitudinally disposed series ofspaced stops, of a compressor adjustable lengthwise of the drawer, a locking bar of resilient material mounted on said compressor and having a part engageable with said drawer stops, and a part on said compressor from said stops to permit said compressor to be shifted in said last named direction, and whereby said rod is placed under further 

